I bought these boots 15+ years ago, there has been many updates since then, but they are worth every penny. They are incredible on any trail, in any weather! They make you feel indestructible! Sorry to the snakes I have absent mindly stepped on. I was too quiet, and these shoes are too tough for there little fangs. Nonetheless, I have never worried about my feet on any adventure!
I recently completed a 700 mile hike on the Appalachian Trail and while I have found boots to be one of the most personal pieces of gear for a hiker, buying these boots was one of the best decisions I made while preparing for my hike. I wore these boots consistently for about a week before my hike to break them in and had no issues with blisters or sore feet. Once I started hiking I did deal with some blisters initially, but nothing more than what would be expected when starting a backpacking trip. These boots kept my feet dry through my whole trip. I was able to ford streams with water coming up a few inches on my boots and stay completely dry, and with a good pair of gaiters I was able to keep water from getting in through the top of my boots. These boots were pretty beat up at the end of my trip, but survived the mud of Vermont, the White Mountains, the rocks, roots, and bogs of Maine, as well as a climb up Mt. Katahdin. When I got home I was able to exchange these boots for a new pair so now I'm ready for my next adventure!
These boots are fantastic. They've taken me up (and down) Kilimanjaro, Washington, the Grand Canyon, and many New England mountains. They do need a bit of breaking in (as a good boot should), but once you're comfortable in them they will serve you very well. I'm hard on boots (as you can tell by the scuff marks in the photo) but these are holding up great. I even wear them on shorter day hikes that could be done in sneakers, I have great boots, so why not always wear them? I couldn't be happier with a hiking boot choice.
I've had these hikers for over 13-years. I considered them expensive when I first purchased them, but they have been worth every single penny. Waterproof, durable, and comfortable once they are broken in - they best you can buy from LLBean.
